Fingerstyle Guitar??Long a** nails??!

Question

i know how to finger style already, but i hate having long nails, but using my fingers doesn't give me the same sound, are there any substitutes?

Answer 1

Just use a pick.

Answer 2

Sure there are but nails would be the best. There are some fake nails you can buy at any music store. They are metal and they act like finger nails. To me... they are very incomfortable. I would just get your nails long enough to where you can see them while you are looking at the tips of your finger. They don't need to be super long or anything.

Answer 3

Go to your local music store and get a set of fingerpicks and a thumbpick.  You'll get the volume and clarity you want without having to grow your fingernails out.

Personally I prefer the sound and feel of plastic fingerpicks rather than metal ones but try both and see which you like better.  BTW, when you wear fingerpicks, the metal or plastic would normally cover and curve over the pad of your finger and would be the part that strikes the string.  

Answer 4

Yes there are

Answer 5

I keep my right hand nails about 1/8" long and they work well for me in fingerstyle picking. Anything longer might cause hanging on the strings unless they are smooth rounded.

In the years that I did not use a thumbpick I would let my thumb nail grow longer.

Answer 6

Either use a pick or cut your nails or wait until the strings cut the grooves in them and you have to cut them.

The simple fact is NOBODY WITH LONG NAILS can play fingerstyle guitar...  so either cut the nails or just strum.

Answer 7

They sell finger picks that mimic having long finger nails. Personally, I can't play with them. It just doesn't feel right. Plus, I think real nails sound better.  My suggestion is to just keep playing with them. Eventually, you'll be able to trim them back to a managable length, but still get good sound out of them.